Bricks are a great, sturdy, flexible and affordable building material
Bricks can be put to a wide range of uses in construction and can be integrated into your garden or home renovation. There are a few key things to consider selecting bricks. It is beneficial to understand the different options you can choose when building your project in order to select the one that is most fitted for you.
Location
Bricks & pavers are graded based on the best location for their environment. If you live near the ocean you may benefit from exposure grade bricks (EXP) verse general purpose (GP) grade bricks that are suited to all other building types and locations. It’s often best to talk to your builder about any special environmental conditions you should be aware of before selecting a specific brick type.
Surrounding Environment
Keep in mind the surrounding building materials, textures, colours and finishes of your home. Each type of brick will work differently with supporting materials and textures. Consider if you are going to use recycled or new bricks to ensure you achieve your desired aesthetic.
Brick Textures
Bricks come in a variety of textures and finishes. When renovating your home you can consider the following styles before selecting your bricks.
Glazed bricks
These bricks are more monochromatic tiles that are ideal for inside or outside design.
Reclaimed bricks
These bricks give your design a recycled appearance and are perfect for creating a heritage or rustic look.
Metallic bricks
These semi-gloss bricks give off a beautiful shimmer when hit by light. These are often used as a feature wall or a statement piece.
Some of the benefits of using bricks in your home
Fire protection
Brick is a non-combustible material as they are fired at temperatures up to 1200 degrees celsius.
Double brick
Bricks can acts as a good insulator keeping your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
Sound insulation
Creating walls out of bricks can provide excellent sound insulation.
Bricks are a durable building material and will last a very long time, however, they are not the most environmentally friendly material to create. Creating new bricks requires a lot of energy and resources, from the clay, the mining, water for extruding and power required to build the mould, dry and shape is extensive. Therefore, it is a great option to try and re-use or recycle your bricks.
